Indra-2013 anti-terrorism exercises to commence in Thar Desert

Under the drills, a joint Russian-Indian command will plan and carry out an anti-terrorist operation, involving the destruction of illegal armed formations.

The composite tactical group
of the 11th Air Assault Brigade (AAB), which is deployed near Ulan-Ude, is
arriving in India on an Il-76 military transport aircraft to conduct joint
exercises named Indra-2013. These manoeuvres will be held from on October 18-28
near the India-Pakistan border in the Thar Desert in Rajasthan.

Under the drills, a joint
Russian-Indian command will plan and carry out an anti-terrorist operation,
involving the destruction of illegal armed formations.

Russian troops will be using
Indian military equipment, including the T-72 and BMP-2, about 30 units in
total, all of them made ​​in Russia, says a Russian Defence Ministry source. The
officer said a number of special features would be employed involved in this
exercise.

Russian soldiers and officers
in the Indian units were previously involved in similar manoeuvres at the same
location in 2005. Back then, the Russian troops in India were led by the
current head of the presidential administration, Sergey Ivanov, who was minister
of defence. At that time, special attention was paid to the manoeuvres, as
combat training issues needed to be worked out, in terms of real threats from
separatists.

During the wars between India
and Pakistan, skirmishes occurred there, and illegal armed groups are still
operating in this region. Even now, according to the press service of the
Eastern Military District (EMD), the proposed operation to combat illegal armed
groups in the specified area will ensure that “tactical groups will be trained
to implement combat and training tasks.”

Joint anti-terrorist actions
of military units of the two countries will be held against the background of
India’s preparation to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated a few days ago that Russia would
render all necessary support to India.

This issue, as well as the
problems of increasing military and technical cooperation, will be discussed at
the Russian-Indian Summit, which is scheduled for the days when joint military
exercises by two countries will be taking place in India.

The Indra-2013 exercise and
the participation of the 11th Air Assault Brigade, which is now subordinated to
the headquarters of the Eastern Military District, are connected with attempts
to solve the Russian military’s practical problems.

Colonel General Vladimir
Shamanov, Commander of Airborne Troops, stated that in this connection, this
unit, as well as the other two air assault brigades that are in the district,
will, in the near future, pass to the command of the headquarters of the
Airborne Troops, in accordance with the decree of President Vladimir Putin.

Shamanov explained the
rationale for such arrangements, by the need to “keep in one fist, under single
management, all airborne and air assault units, which serve as a mobile reserve
of the High Command, and as the basis of rapid reaction forces, would operate
in accordance with a single operational plan in the interests of national defence.”

Shamanov did not specify how
the defence of the state is connected to the training exercise of the Russian paratroopers
in India. Although it is no secret that with the advent of the new leadership
in the Defence Ministry, represented by Sergey Shoigu, mainly airborne troops
will have to deal with combat and peacekeeping missions outside of Russia.

Today, airborne units are
included in the Collective Rapid Reaction Force (CRRF) of the Collective

Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO). The position of deputy commander of airborne troops, responsible for
peacekeeping forces and the CRRF, has been introduced in the headquarters of
airborne troops. Major-General Alexander Vyaznikov has been recently appointed
to this post.

“India is a strategic partner
for Russia on the Asian continent. With the withdrawal of international forces
from Afghanistan, it becomes even more urgent to strengthen our alliance with
Delhi,” said Colonel Eduard Rodyukov, corresponding member of the Academy of
Military Sciences, to Nezavisimaya Gazeta. According to him, the military
cooperation between the two countries is mutually beneficial. “I do not rule
out that very soon Indian units will operate not only in bilateral military
exercises with Russia, but also as part of the multinational forces under the
banner of the SCO and the CSTO,” Rodyukov said.